The Professional Socialization of Novice Teachers

Research studies show that many factors are in play when it comes to the professional socialization of novice teachers. Socializing factors such as collegial support or lack thereof, appropriate mentor-mentee relationships, validation and feedback from students, colleagues, parents, administrators, and superiors all impact a beginner teacher’s professional development, and assimilation into a school’s community. For this study, I interviewed three female primary-junior/junior-intermediate novice teachers in order to unveil which socializing factors best helped them successfully integrate into the workplace, and transition into their roles of teachers from beginner to experienced. I analyze participant experiences of mentoring and induction programs for novice teachers and present the implications of this analysis for their improvement